Ok guys, I need some help killing a deer or atleast setting up on him. I know where a state record whitetail is living. Its 500 acres of CRP, thick, nasty grass field with very, very few trees in it. Its public land too, but very lightly hunted due to lack of trees and lack of access. I know the farmer that owns the surrounding fields so I have access that most don't. This deer is a massive 10 that has it all. We have his sheds but have never laid eyes on the deer. I know he lives on the public b/c its the only habitat for several miles. But I'm telling you, its 500 acres of head high thicket. TOUGH hunting. How do you go about hunting a deer like this? He isn't coming to the fields until well after dark as this is a heavily hunted area. You won't even see a doe in one of these fields during daylight. My only option is to bail off in the ticket and hunt the few tree lines that do exist. Bedding could be absolutely anywhere and following a trail is pointless, its all a maze once you get out in it. What would you do?
Photos of the sheds please! What sucks, is you prob wouldn't want to post an aerial map because of the potential problems you could run into with people possibly recognizing the land...
You don't have to be in a tree to kill a deer. Carve out some ambush points in the thicket. Invest in a shaggie suit and learn to shoot with it on. (and how to be really still) You'd still have to have some luck too.
Not posting any photos or any maps! lol For you midwest guys this deer is nothing special, but for us, its world class... he's a clean 10 point, 19 inches wide, 8 inch browes, 10 inch G-2's, 13 inch G-3's, 10 inch G-4's.... Long beams and very massive, all the way out. I put him at 170 just by eyeballing, but have not put a tape to it. Trying to keep it quiet in my neck of the woods, lots of road hunters and outlaws. Our state record is low 160's and know this deer will smash that.
It is hard getting on any mature buck, but with you added problems, it is going to be a real chore. You said you have access to the private land that borders the public land? Any chance of putting in food plots there? I am not thinking that you will draw him in to feed, but you may get him checking a food plot once does start getting hot. I would also get trail cameras out now, trying to figure out where he going once he leaves the thick cover. Once you have that bit of information, you can start figuring out where you need to set up at. I would also invest in a good ground blind now, sounds like you are going to need it. Good luck!
Just 170. That's it?! I see 2 year olds that bend that mark. Let me get back to you the next time you see a real deer. (Of course this response was only to poke fun at the original poster's remarks that 170's run rampant and exist in HUGE numbers here in the midwest. Please take no offense as it was all in good jest.)
Options: Run him out with beaters (drivers). Burn the CRP. Bait him. Put dogs on him. Seriously though, (I put those up to see how many pages we can get out of this post) get in there after a fresh rain and look for the biggest set of tracks you can find to see where he's traveling, then cut some lanes across a few travel corridors and put some trail cameras up on fencing stakes to see when he's moving and where he's going, then set a blind where he's traveling IF the lanes don't spook him.
I say go in after him... piling on what Kodiak said, wait for a rain, then go out and find his tracks and track him down. You may find that he's not as deep in there as you may think. Figure out the funnels and travel routes, then set up a blind in there someplace. Or invest in a good Ghilly type suit and try to get to him that way. We've chased some big bucks out of thick alder swamps where I hunt by figuring out the funnels, trail crossings, etc. He's moving, just not when and where you want him to be. Figure out the whens and wheres, then try to be in the right place at the right time. Good luck... it's going to be work, but well worth the effort if you can bag him! OH... AND SHED PICS!!!!
Duke, I only alluded to that b/c the Illinois state record is a good 40 points higher than the MS. Plus I love taking jabs at all you lucky SOB's. lol
I wouldn't post no photo's either. I'd say do some ground hunting very close to where you think he's bedded at. Just like the lottery, you might get lucky and pick the right spot. Sounds like some tough hunting, Good luck with him!!
I know DC.. I took no offense to it. I was just rubbing it in. I'd love to help you out with your endeavor.. but that would require a novel to be written. And I hate to type. Plus.. I'm no expert.. if there is such a thing. I'd scout that area til I knew every inch.. start where you found his sheds. And think why he would have bedded there? Then I'd walk every sq. inch til I knew ever piece of that ground. I'd even try to bump him.. so you can get an even better idea of where he haunts. I'd trim trees and ready locations for ground attacks.. Then I'd develop a plan to taking him during the season based on wind and timing of year.. hunting the (correct) scrapes when its time to hunt them and hunting the doe areas when its time to hunt them. In a nutshell. Here's a tidbit for ya.. from my experiences with this type of hunting (CRP.. grasses.. cattalis..) bucks tend to bed next to tree like features.. not usually out in the open. Look for the beds that stink to high heaven (whatever that saying means). I'd give you my theory on these reasons.. but you get the picture. Start here and kill'em. But you have to give BH.com full rights on the story.:d
Thanks Duke. I have spent time scounting the area, but only with the thought of dinks and does in mind. This changes everything. I will keep everyone updated.
I agree 100% I did this last season Didn't kill the big boy but I did drag a really nice doe out of that thicket. First bow kill from the ground and one helluva rush!
Go out & scout for signs of him. He's got to be bedding down somewhere & using some kind of trail system. Set up a blind & blend it in well. You'll need to scout now while the vegetation is thin. Look for ambush points & make mental notes of it. Remember to blend in your blind, so give yourself time when setting up to do this. Best if you could set up some dead fall in the area you intend to hunt. Can you use deadfall as a ground blind. that might be an option. slowly add more & more to it now till early summer, then git. maybe you can track him down. I wouldn't post pics or even mention more than you have. Lots of people may recongnize the area or get all wound up at the sight of the sheds, and barge into your plans. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
Any high spots where you could do some long range scouting in the summer/early fall before hunting season to see where he is bedding and how he travels/uses the area. If you are going to hunt from the ground... pay attention to drainage ditches, ravines or other land features to aide you in accessing or leaving with out being detected. While some say it takes some doing to pressure a mature buck out of a spot other then just making him nocturnal... I see otherwise in my area. Tim
This deer has a lot of weapons in his arsenal to use against you if you decide to go in after him. Taking him inside the CRP will be almost impossible. Use his sense of smell to draw him out. You might try a fresh doe in heat scent and a decoy upwind of the feild (Give Cavan Sullivan a call @ Timber Valley deer scents-he's out of Petersburg, Illinois). With deer like this, it might come down to being in the right spot at the right time. That my friend, may take a lot of effort on your part. Good Luck!
I like Kodiak and Slick's recommendations - clear some lanes and use a ground blind(s). Obviously, you would want to invade his thicket and set-up the lanes and blind now before the vegetation returns. You might approach the problem from a different perspective - maybe try to eliminate some areas of the thicket because they are too wet/sparse/close to humans. I agree with KA and slick - ground blinds with subtle lanes. Have your farmer friends seen him? Can they offer any info? You might also ask them about next years crop rotation because the does will immediately follow the food and he won't be far behind. Do you think he would come to a mineral lick - positioned just inside the thicket where it could be checked and freshened without disturbing the entire thicket? Would this make it possible to get his picture this summer?
